Improved bridle-bit



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vDANIEL M.N.IX0N, or

I DAN'VILLE,l ILLINOIS.

Lnm Parmi No. 87,281, dated Fama/ry 23, 1869.

IMPRovEn B RIDLn-BIT.

The Bchednlereferred to in these Letters Patent and making 'part of the same.,

To all whom 'it may-concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. NIXON, of Danville, county of Vermilion, State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved Bit'for Bridlesg and I hereby. de-A -vclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which'will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figurel is a top view.

Figure. 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a top view of the bar of the bit, which contains the'socleu Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention consists iu uniting the bars of bridlebits by means cfa ball-and-socketjoint, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The bar A, in the drawings, contains the socket A', which is located at its inner extremity.

That portiouof the bar which contains said-socket is somewhat dattened, and is tinned at a'considerable angle from the arm of the bar.

The armv of the bar is circular, or of any desired formand is slightly curved throughout its length.

A is the socket, above referredto. It is oblong, and is bevelled on its face, so as to permit the ballon bar B to 4fit closely into it. It is large enough to allow the arm of bar B to slide freelywithin'it.

Bar B carries, on its inner end, the ball'B. Its arm -is similar in construction to that of bar A.

B is a ball, constructed on the bar at the' point above stated. It is of the shape of a truncated cone,

the base of said cone coinciding with or forming the end of the bar, and the sides 4encircling the arm of said bar.

C are rings, passing through the outer ends of the bars, to which the reins are secured.

It is evident that the form of the ball, as well asv that of the other portions of the bit, may be considerably varied, without affecting any r'esult.

' As the bars of' a bit of this kind -may be cast in form so asv to be united bypassing the arm of bar B through the socket A', it is; apparent that a very strong joint is madeone that has very great advantages over those in common use.

If it were possible to twist th'e bit in the animals mouth, so as to get the 'same purchase on the eye that can be had in bits-of ordinary construction, the eye, being cast closed, is much stronger, and will endure such strain-much better, than an Aeye which is closed by Welding; but the arm B rotates freely in the socket A', so that twisting is impossible, and no leverage can be had which is sutcient to break the bars of the bit.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let' ters' Patent, is-

A bit, having its bars united by means of a ball-andsocket joint, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony wl1e1eof,`I' have signed my name to this specification, in the presence oi" .two subscribing witnesses. I A

DANIEL M. NIXON.

Witnesses:

Jos. G. MCKIBBEN, WM.-H. MENGLE. 

